Westward Expansion & Manifest Destiny - LOA 2020

00:04:56
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcdcevNnvs

Summary

TLDRThis video outlines the westward expansion of the United States following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which nearly doubled the nation's size. The expedition led by Lewis and Clark in 1804 enhanced understanding of this new territory. The movement westward gained momentum post-War of 1812 and was influenced by the concept of manifest destiny, which pushed Americans to settle unexplored lands. Key events include the annexation of Texas, the Oregon Treaty with Britain, and territory gained from the Mexican-American War. The Homestead Act and the Transcontinental Railroad were significant in encouraging settlement. However, this expansion had grave consequences for Native Americans, including loss of land and cultural disruption.

Takeaways

  • 🌍 Louisiana Purchase doubled the U.S. size in 1803.
  • 🧭 Lewis and Clark's expedition explored the new territory.
  • 💡 Manifest Destiny envisioned U.S. expansion across the continent.
  • 🏞 The Homestead Act allowed settlers to claim free land.
  • 🚂 Transcontinental Railroad completed in 1869 linked coasts.
  • 🪃 Native Americans faced loss of land and culture during expansion.
  • ☠ Buffalo population decimated by settlers.
  • 🏞 Oklahoma Territory was the last major frontier.
  • 🏡 Great Plains turned into family farms by late 1880s.
  • 📜 The history of westward expansion is marked by diverse stories.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:04:56

    Before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, European immigrants primarily populated the eastern seaboard of the United States. President Thomas Jefferson's acquisition of 800,000 square miles from France for $15 million doubled the size of the nation and prompted the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804 to explore the new territory. The expedition enhanced understanding of the geography and resources available in the west, laying the groundwork for subsequent westward expansion.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What was the Louisiana Purchase?

    The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal in 1803 where the United States acquired approximately 800,000 square miles of territory from France for $15 million.

  • Who led the expedition to explore the newly acquired territory?

    The expedition to explore the new territory was led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.

  • What did 'manifest destiny' refer to?

    Manifest destiny was a belief that the expansion of the United States across the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

  • What was the Homestead Act?

    The Homestead Act, passed in 1862, allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of land for free, provided they improved it and lived on it for five years.

  • How did the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad impact westward expansion?

    The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 linked the eastern rail network to the Pacific coast, facilitating faster travel and migration to the West.

  • What were some negative consequences of westward expansion for Native Americans?

    Westward expansion resulted in the occupation of Native American lands, forced relocations to reservations, and significant disruption to their cultures and lifestyles.

  • What factors contributed to westward migration after the Civil War?

    Factors included the Homestead Act, the California Gold Rush, the construction of railroads, and the opening of trails.

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  • 00:00:00
    [Music]
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    before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803
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    European immigrants did not stretch far
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    beyond the eastern seaboard choosing to
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    remain close to their supply lines when
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    President Thomas Jefferson nearly
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    doubled the size of our young nation in
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    the 15 million dollar deal with France
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    the 800 thousand square miles would
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    eventually include all or part of 14
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    states the next year in 1804 Jefferson
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    sent an expedition led by Meriwether
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    Lewis and William Clark to explore this
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    large new territory west of the
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    Mississippi River called the Corps of
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    Discovery the three-year journey
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    produced a new understanding of the
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    geography and resources of the western
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    part of the continent
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    despite some continuous push westward it
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    was not until the conclusion of the war
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    of 1812 that the westward movement
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    became significant by 1830 the Old
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    Northwest and old Southwest which were
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    scarcely populated before the war began
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    to be settled and before long the states
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    of Illinois Indiana Missouri Alabama and
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    Mississippi were admitted to the Union
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    at the same time the idea of manifest
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    destiny a phrase coined by a
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    newspaperman was beginning to take shape
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    this concept envisioned the United
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    States expanding across the entire
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    continent
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    soon Americans began to buy into the
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    inevitability of settling unexplored
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    Western frontiers first moving into
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    places such as current-day Michigan
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    Arkansas Wisconsin in Ohio in the 1840s
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    and 50s the nation expanded quickly and
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    in the span of just five years the
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    United States has creased its size by a
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    third during this time the country
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    annexed Texas negotiated with Britain
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    for half of the Oregon country and
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    acquired more land in the
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    mexican-american war which would become
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    the states of California Nevada Utah
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    parts of Arizona Colorado New Mexico and
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    Wyoming people then began to move in
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    great numbers to the west the California
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    Gold Rush the construction of railroads
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    the Mormons long pilgrimage to Utah and
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    the blazing of the Santa Fe California
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    and Oregon trails all contributed to the
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    expansion more gold and silver
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    discoveries drew prospectors and
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    settlers into Colorado Nevada Idaho
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    Oregon and Montana but the most rapid
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    migration occurred after the Civil War
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    one factor encouraging settlers to move
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    west was the Homestead Act passed in
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    1862 which allowed settlers to claim 160
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    acres of land for free after falling for
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    an application the homesteader was
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    required to improve the land and after
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    five years could apply for the deed
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    another important factor was the
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    completion of the first Transcontinental
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    Railroad in 1869 after six years of hard
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    labor the tracks were connected between
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    Iowa and California linking the existing
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    Eastern railroad network from the
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    Atlantic to the Pacific coasts for the
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    first time
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    though these changes were very exciting
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    for settlers heading west
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    seeking land and opportunity it had
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    serious consequences for our Native
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    Americans westward expansion meant the
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    occupation and annexation of their
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    homelands and dramatic changes to their
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    traditions and lifestyles through
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    numerous treaties some honored some
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    broken along with frequent Indian Wars
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    the government in the end took over the
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    vast majority of native lands forcing
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    our nation's first peoples to
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    reservations by 1870 only portions of
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    the Great Plains could truly be called
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    unsettled and most of the Buffalo for
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    which the Indians spend it on have been
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    hunted almost to extinction for most of
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    the next two decades the plains became
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    the fabled open range home to cowboys
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    and their grazing cattle however by the
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    late 1880s yet more settlers moved in
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    and fenced the Great Plains into family
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    farms the continued settlement along
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    with the wild rush of pioneers into
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    Oklahoma Indian Territory constituted
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    the last chapter of westward movement by
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    the early 1890s the frontier had ceased
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    to exist within the continental States
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    however the history lives on in the
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    hundreds of fascinating tales of
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    westward expansion the trials and
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    tribulations of tens of thousands of
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    people who braved the frontier the
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    Native Americans who suffered through
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    manifest destiny and the biographies
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    notes and memoirs of hundreds of
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    interesting characters who live during
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    these adventurous times start your
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    journey here on our westward expansion
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    page from legends of America
Tags
  • Louisiana Purchase
  • Westward Expansion
  • Manifest Destiny
  • Homestead Act
  • Transcontinental Railroad
  • Lewis and Clark
  • Native Americans
  • Gold Rush
  • Pioneers
  • Indian Wars